Prospective Students 2010-2011
New: University of California, Systemwide Website Has Videos on How to Pay for a UC Education.
You apply for financial aid by completing a 2010-2011 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You can complete a FAFSA on-line at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Be sure to list UC Berkeley Federal School Code 001312 on your FAFSA.
Transfer Students who filled out a 2009-2010 FAFSA should complete a new 2010-11 FAFSA at www.fafsa.ed.gov after January 1, 2010.
The on-time deadline for completing a FAFSA for the 2010-2011 Academic Year is March 2, 2010.
To be considered for a Cal Grant, you must have a four-year California college listed as one of the schools to receive your FAFSA information.
The deadline for on-time consideration is March 2, 2010! This applies to students entering in Fall 2009 or Spring 2010.
All new and continuing students who are CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS must also apply for a Cal Grant. You must fill out a GPA Verification Form and have it sent to the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) by March 2, 2010. You can download the form from the CSAC website.
If you are applying for admission and financial aid at UC Berkeley for the Fall 2009 semester, you need to stay aware of this schedule:
- Nov. 1-Nov. 30, 2009
Complete your UC Admission Application, listing Berkeley. - Dec. 1, 2009-Jan. 31, 2010
UC will mail financial aid materials to everyone who has applied for admission at any UC campus. - Jan. 1-March 2, 2010
Complete your FAFSA on-line. UC Berkeley's priority date for entering students is February 15, 2010. If you complete your FAFSA by this date, you increase your chances of having a financial aid offer soon after you have been admitted. - March 2, 2010
This is the deadline for the FAFSA for on-time consideration for Cal Grants, University grants, and Federal Work Study. (If you file late, you may still be considered for Pell Grants and Federal Direct Loans.) If you are a California resident, the GPA Verification Form must be mailed to the California Student Aid Commission by this same deadline. - March 31, 2010
If your admission file is complete, you will be notified of your admission status from the Office of Undergraduate Admission. Transfer students are notified on May 1, 2010. - April 6-April 30, 2010
Once you are admitted, you should receive a Financial Aid Notification letter if your file is complete. Transfer students will begin to receive their notification letters in May, 2010. - May 1, 2010
Deadline to submit your Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) and Statement of Legal Residence (in the State of California) to UC Berkeley. Transfer students must submit their SIR by June 1, 2010. - May 1-August 1, 2010
If your financial aid file is complete you should receive either final notification of your award(s) or you may be asked for other documents from the Financial Aid Office.
Types of Awards Available at Cal
There are four types of financial aid: grants, scholarships, work-study, and loans.
Grants are like gifts. They do not have to be repaid. Grants are awarded from federal, state, and university funds according to financial need. Berkeley awards Cal Grant A, Cal Grant B, Pell Grants, Supplemental Opportunity Grants, Acdemic Competitiveness Grants, SMART Grants, and University grants.
Scholarships
The Financial Aid Office offers scholarships based on both merit and financial need. if you have applied to UC Berkeley and if you have filed a FAFSA, you are automatically considered. There is no application to fill out. We don't maintain a list of outside scholarships. If you are eligible for a Univerisity scholarship it will be listed on your Notification Letter.
Federal Work-Study is financial aid through student employment. Because federal funds pay a portion of work-study wages, many jobs are held open for students. The average rate of pay on campus is over $10.00 per hour. Federal Work-Study students often find employment that matches their field of study and can usually plan job schedules around academic work. Students generally work no more than 15 hours per week during school, but may work full time during vacations.
Loans
Students are considered for Federal Direct Stafford Loans, Perkins Loans and Parent Loans. While loans must be repaid, many students and families find them necessary to finance their education. As the federal loan programs generally have better terms than other types of loans, students should always work with the Financial Aid Office to secure loans before looking at private sources. Many student loans do not need to be repaid until after graduation.
Who Is Eligible for Financial Aid?
Financial aid is either NEED BASED or NON-NEED BASED. Non-need based financial aid is made up of unsubsidized loans, parent loans, and private loans. Need based financial aid includes subsidized loans, grants, scholarships, and federal work study (read more on eligibility requirements).
Your amount of need-based financial aid eligibility is based on a formula:
Standard Student Budget minus
Total Student and/or Parent Contributions
equals Amount of Need Based Financial Aid
UC Berkeley's Standard Undergraduate Student Budget is based on annual surveys to estimate student expenses for each year. In the academic year 2009-2010 the budget for students living in a University Residence Hall is $28,312. The off-campus budget is $23,594. The budget for students living with their relatives is $19,134. Non-Residents are charged an additional $22,670 for non-resident tuition and educational fees.
The Parent Contribution is set by a federal formula. The principal components in calculating the parent contribution are: parent income and assets, parent age and need for retirement income, and number of family dependents.
You may also be assessed for a Student Contribution. The student contribution for each year is based on a federal formula that includes a percentage of student earnings and savings.
The Expected Family Contribution is a combination of the Parent Contribution and Student Contribution. For a more in-depth explanation you can view the Federal Government's Student Guide.
If you and/or your parents would like to get a rough estimate of what type of financial aid you might be eligible for at UC Berkeley, try out our Cal-culator.
Financial Aid Information for Newly Admitted Students for Academic Year 2009-2010
